Category: Contests

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Congregational Songs Contests Psalms

My Keeper

It’s going to be a week long extravaganza of contests, starting today!

The first song is one that I wrote a while back–1999 to be exact. “My Keeper” is a rendition of Psalm 121 that began its life as a Jars of Clay or Caedmon’s Call style acoustic rock song. I’ve always had a soft spot for this song, but it’s never quite worked as planned. The main problem is that the verse rhythm is fairly difficult, especially on the page. The second problem is that the refrain hit a high D on an “ee” syllable. That’s not particularly congregational friendly.

So when Faith Alive put out a call for songs based on particular scriptures, and one of those scriptures was Psalm 121, I knew I needed to take the opportunity to revisit “My Keeper.” In this case, the call was for “Caribbean-style” songs based on Psalm 121 for grades K-1, so I had to do some serious rethinking.

The Reggae style I used help me move the melody to a straighter, more congregational-friendly rhythm in the verse. I expect the straighter rhythm will work well even when not using the Reggae style. Recording the song–and struggling with the high Ds in the refrain–led me to repeat the first phrase of the refrain twice. Peaking at a B four times may not be as interesting of a compositional choice, but it works a lot better for the people singing the song.

Now all I have to do is wait to find out if Faith Alive feels the same soft spot for the song as I do. In the meantime, take a listen or look.

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Church Congregational Songs Contests Finale demo

A Humble Mass

A while back NPM (National Pastoral Musicians) held a contest  for new musical settings of the English Mass which was recently approved by the US Roman Catholic bishops. For those of you who aren’t Catholic, even small changes in the language of the mass can be a pretty big deal, with publishers scrambling to release new versions of mandated text.

Of course, you know how I am about composition contests. You’ll remember that in the calm before the storm of this year’s Calvin Worship Symposium, I completed a Robot Dance Music contest entry (I won) and started a mass. I made enough progress on the mass before the symposium started that I was able to complete it during the event. This was helped along by my friend Kelly at GIA who was gracious enough to give me excellent feedback from her symposium vendor’s booth, and by Jeremy Begbie, who was kind enough to overlook that guy in the back who was editing a mass while he gave a lecture.

Fast forward a few months. I lost the NPM contest, which is not entirely unexpected. But I can’t just let 13 pages of music languish because of something as benign as losing a contest. So I did what any reasonable person would do–I asked for a second opinion in the form of YouTube. That’s right. I’ve published a “bouncing ball” version of the mass on YouTube so you can sing along while watching the music scroll by.

I named this setting “A Humble Mass” not because I think it’s a cool name like… I don’t know–Missa Lunesta or Mass of the Proletariat–but because I just couldn’t find a great name. I wanted to convey that this is a simple mass that is quite usable in congregations that only have a keyboard available to them. And it’s quite singable, with a few themes tying the whole mass together. But you never really know how effective a piece is until it’s sung by a living, breathing congregation.

If any of you would like to give this mass a go in your congregation, let me know and I’ll get you a PDF file of the mass.

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Contests

Greg Scheer: a win-win situation

In a previous post, I complained (okay, whined) about being a runner-up and/or outright loser. But it seems my luck has changed.

This week I received word that I won the Top Golf theme song contest with my irritatingly catchy “Bring It On!” Even as I was still gloating about that big win, contemplating how many games $100 will buy at the Top Golf entertainment center in Chicago, and eating free pizza from my Google Me winnings, I found out that I came in fifth place in the Celldweller remix contest. Normally I would consider fifth place a beyond-consolation prize, but in this case I was pretty pleased. There were 80 entries and I was pretty far out of my stylistic comfort zone, so fifth place is, er, the best it’s gonna get. Thanks to everyone who took the time to go to the FiXT Remix website to vote for my song. I’ll share the prize in the form of a little extra distortion in my next recording, using the Ohmicide:Melohman distortion plugin I won as a prize.

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Contests

Get out the vote!

Hey everyone,

Usually this blog is strictly reserved for tasty musical morsels in MP3 or PDF-size bites. But I’m breaking my own rule tonight to tell you about an opportunity for you to help push a recent post from also-ran obscurity into the limelight of contest success.

You’ll remember that I recently entered a remix contest, in which I turned a Celldweller (hard-hitting, angst-filled techno rock) song into a laid-back lounge version. Well, it seems that users of the FiXT Remix community found my rendition interesting enough to place it in the top 20 of 82 entries. But now the hard work begins. We have to get out the vote! If enough people vote for my song I will be included in a compilation, gain respect in the techno community, and most importantly I’ll win stuff.

So you need to put down what you’re doing. Right. Now. And go to http://www.fixtremix.com/news/v/vote-for-celldweller-quot-the-best-its-gonna-get-quot-winners/170/  to vote for the “Lounge Mix by Greg Scheer.” There will be extra goodwill for anyone who tweets this, tells a friend, or places an announcement in their church bulletin.

While you’re heading over to FiXT Remix to vote for my song, you can take a listen to the newly mastered version of the song.

Categories
Contests Production music

TopGolf Theme Song Contest

Faithful followers of this music blog know that I love nothing more than a good song contest. I’m not sure if it’s the thrill of the chase, the fun of donning a completely different musical guise for each contest, or the quirky satisfaction of adding “winner of the Robot Dance Song Contest” to my resume–but I can’t say no to a contest.

My latest entry into the ring is the TopGolf Online Game Theme Song Contest. Listen to my rousing entry: Bring It On! My goal was to create a 30 second spot that would sound good as a radio spot on a classic rock station. If it’s successful, I’ll move into writing music for beer commercials–where the real money is.

By the way, if you’re wondering about the brawny man who does the voiceover in the middle of the song–it’s me.

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Contests electronic

Your Perfect World

Now for something–as Monty Python would say–completely different. Usually I post my own compositions on this blog, but this time I’ll be posting an arrangement of sorts. A remix, to be exact.

You’ve probably heard pop songs that have been released, and then various remixes are issued at later dates–dance remixes, extended club versions, etc. In the world of electronica some artists make their “stems” (raw tracks from the recording) available so that fans and DJs can freely create remixes. One such case is Celldweller, who not only made their stems available online, but are hosting a remix contest.

How could I resist?

You can get a feel for the original song from this YouTube video. Then take a listen to how most people remixed the song–they usually lean a bit heavier toward the dance/techno side of things, but it’s still similar to the original. Me? I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I decided to recast the song as if it were a performance by a band of lounge lizards from the 1950s. Go to the FiXT Remix website where my rendition resides. While you’re there, why don’t you go ahead and vote a bunch of times to bump up my ranking.

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Contests

The Also Ran Songbook

As you know, I like nothing more than entering composition contests. More specifically, I love winning composition contests.

My most recent lunge for the elusive musical ring was the WCRC hymn contest. A number of international Reformed organizations are coming together this year to form one mega-international-Reformed organization called the World Council of Reformed Churches. To celebrate this historic event, they sent out a call for songs based on Ephesians 4–unity in the Spirit. I entered two songs.

The first, “Make Us One within You Spirit,” has a history of rejection. When I was named runner-up (which is something like be named “the guy who lost and whose name will be made public”) in the CRC Sesquicentennial hymn contest, I thought it would a nice gesture to compose a new tune for Bert Polman’s winning text, which had been paired with the ubiquitous NETTLETON (“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”). I was quite pleased with my new tune–which I named SASQUATCH, for obvious reasons–but it slowly made it’s way to the back burner. When the WCRC Ephesians 4 contest came along, I decided that SASQUATCH would make an excellent, regal tune that would fit the festive uniting event well. I set to work on a Ephesians 4/unity text, and came up with a Trinitarian text that I thought would be a shoe in for the prize.

I was wrong.

I also entered a more Taize-like hymn named “There Is One Body.” Not knowing the setting in which the hymn would be sung, I thought a more ecumenical, liturgical song would work well for communion or gathering. So I wrote one with a verse/refrain structure. It is not as bold as the first song, but has a good flow between cantor and congregation, organ and piano.

Wrong again.

The judges chose five (count ’em, FIVE) winners, and neither of mine were on the list. To add insult to injury, a number of the judges are friends. Ouch! (Granted, the submissions were anonymous. But still, ouch!) This is on the heels of losing the Astoria bicentennial song contest, being disqualified from the CRC justice song contest (I could have been a contender, but instead they made me be a judge: Living Justly and From the City), and countless publisher rejections. While I lick my wounds, take a listen to my award-losing songs:

Make Us One within Your Spirit: MP3 (Update 10/1/20: sheet music available for download here)

There Is One Body: PDF, MP3

PS – I’m still waiting to hear about the NPM mass contest and the Grand Rapids Google Fiber video contest. To keep track of all this, I’ve created a new category for blogposts called “contests.”

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Contests

Google Me! The Movie

Simon, Theo and I created a Lego movie on Saturday to go with my new Google Me! song. Amy chose not to take part in this Scheer family work of art, saying only “If I tell you what I think of the song, it’ll sound mean.” Hrrrmmmph. We’ll see how she feels about the song when the boys and I are eating at a fine Grand Rapids restaurant after winning the GR Google video prize while she sits at home by herself eating tuna from a can.

Do us a favor and go to YouTube to give this a 5 star rating. If you’re feeling really inspired, leave a comment like “That’s really cool and should win the prize!” or “After seeing this video how could Google resist coming to Grand Rapids?!!” or “This is a lot better than Amy said!!!” or “The song is still pretty annoying, but Simon and Theo’s Lego artistry is off the hook!!!!” (Multiple exclamation points optional.)

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Contests Rock and/or Roll

Google Me!

 You may have heard that Google is planning to roll out super high speed (and free) internet in select cities across the nation. Which means, of course, that cities across the nation are vying for Google’s attention.

I, being true to my city, will not squander my skills on any other metropolitan area (even if they are offering a $150 worth of gift certificates to restaurants that are in driving distance). No, my heart is loyal to Grand Rapids, where citizens are joining together as one to extol their fine city’s virtues.

And that, my friends, is why I am contributing my new song “Google Me!” to the cause. I’m pretty sure that when the flash mob creates a human network on Marcy 19, they’re going to need some music. Here it is. Get dancing. And when people start shooting their videos, this is the soundtrack with the sizzle. And when Google rolls into town with its blazing fast network, Grand Rapids will sing one joyous, high speed chorus of “Google Me!”

Listen to the MP3 or download the higher quality AIF file.

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Contests Demos

Astoria: An Adventure in Songs about Places I’ve Never Visited

As any loyal follower of this blog knows, I have an interest in song contests that borders on the obsessive. I’m drawn to them like a moth to the flame, and my latest flame is Astoria, Oregon.

Astoria is celebrating its 200th birthday and they advertised a song contest as part of the festivities. I’ve never been to the town, but an afternoon of research reveals that it’s quite a charming place with a colorful history. Did you know that Lewis and Clark spent a winter there? That it was the first major outpost of the Northwest? That Goonies, Kindergarten Cop and Free Willy were all filmed there? I tried to pack my new found knowledge into a song the town could call their own.

The fruit of my labor is a song named after their bicentennial theme, “Astoria: An Adventure in History.” Take a look at the PDF or listen to an MP3 demo sung by the Greg Quartet.